Apparatus for extending the lift engines of a vtol aircraft

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for extending the lift engines of a VTOL aircraft from a stowed position within the fuselage to an extended operative position. Each of the engines are supported upon a jackscrew. serving to drive each of the jackscrews is a planetary drive which is actuated by a motor. Each of the planetary drives includes a shaft which is coupled to a universal joint. The universal joints are connected to a bearing. The adjacent ends of the jackscrews are rotatably pinned to levers which coact upon a lost-motion-compensating means. Energizing of the motors results in actuation of the jackscrews which correspondingly produces movement of the engines.

United States Patent 13,590,646

[72] inventor Fridolin Werner Bredl V [56] References Cited Germefing,German! 1 UNlTED STATES PATENTS 211 Appl. No.' 852,338

. 3 371 545 3/1968 McNeal Jr et a1 74/89.l5 22] Filed Au 22, 1969Patented h1g6 971 3,501,114 3/1970 De Plante v. 74/89.]5 X [73] AssigneeEntwicklungsring Sud G.rn.b.H. Primary Examiner-William F. O'Dea Munich,Germany Assistant Examiner-F. D. Shoemaker [32] Priority Sept. 13, 1968Attorney-William 1(.Serp [33] Germany [31] P17812351) ABSTRACT: Anapparatus for extending the lift engines of a VTOL aircraft from astowed position within the fuselage to an extended operative positionEach of the engines are supported upon a jackscrew. serving to driveeach of the jackscrews is a planetary drive which is actuated by amotor. Each of the planetary drives includes a shaft which is coupled toa universal joint. The universal joints are connected to a [54]APPARATUS FOR EXTENDING THE LIFT ENGINES OF A VTOL AIRCRAFT 3 Claims, 4Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 74/89.!5, bearing. The adjacent ends of the jackscrews arerotatably 74/424.8 R pinned to levers which coact upon alost-motion-compensat- [51] Int. Cl Fl6h 3/70 ing means. Energizing ofthe motors results in actuation of the [50] Field of Search 74/89.]5,jackscrews which correspondingly produces movement of the 424 8; 244/23,53, 55; 248/5 engines.

PATENTEU JUL-6 I97:

SHEET 1 [1F 2 FIG! APPARATUS FOR EXTENDING THE LIFT ENGINES OF A VTOLAIRCRAFT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to amechanism for extending the lift engines from a stowed position withinthe airframe of a VTOL/STOL aircraft to an operative position. Theinvention is especially adapted for use in an arrangement where theengines are located at both sides of the fuselage.

Various means for extending or swinging the engines of an aircraft intoan operative position are known wherein each engine or engine pair isprovided with a hydraulic cylinder. One particular disadvantage withsuch arrangements is that a relatively complicated mechanism is requiredfor synchronizing the movements of the engines. The use of tandemcylinders having two hydraulic cylinders at each side has been used inthe past. This arrangement creates a stowage problem as a result of theengine lengths involved. Further, such an arrangement also necessitatesa considerable supply of oil for the hydraulic operation, greatermaintenance expense and the use of additional locks or stops upon thehydraulic cylinders.

It is an object of the present invention to improve upon such knownarrangements by eliminating all synchronizing devices and lockingapparatus so as to obtain a considerable weight reduction with respectto prior constructions.

In order to accomplish this end, the illustrated embodiment includes asynchroshaft, one endof which is coupled to a universal joint and theremaining end of which is coupled to a planetary drive. A synchroshaftis provided at each side of the aircraft and serves .to drive the twojackscrews.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the plane through whichthe axes of the universal joints lie above the intersection point of theaxes of the jackscrews will be subsequently described. This arrangementserves to minimize forces upon the synchroshafts during operation.

With respect to the illustrated embodiment, the jackscrews are connectedto a means which serves to compensate for lost motion. This featureassures compensation of the moments occurring in the fuselage when theengines are in their terminal positions, that is, either extended orstowed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent withreference to the following description and accompanying drawings whichshow an illustrated embodiment of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodimentincorporating certain features of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view partly in section of the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of an apparatus including the componentsillustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The extending apparatusillustrated includes two jackscrews 10. As particularly illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, each of the jackscrews is provided with a motor 30mounted thereon. Each of the motors 30 are in turn connected to aplanetary drive 20. To the ends of the jackscrews 10 are mountedsupporting lugs 16 which are in turn pivotably connected to a lever 15.The levers 15 each engage a means which serves to compensate for anylost motion. The axis of rotation of the lever IS with respect to thelugs 16 is denoted by the numeral 12. Each of the planetary drivesengages a ring gear 11 mounted on the jackscrew l0. Rotation of thejackscrew 10 causes an actuator 17, mounted on engine arm 50, to swingoutwardly and correspondingly the engines 60 swing out of airframe 70.The jackscrew drive, due to its self-locking feature, permits locking ofthe engines 60 at any intermediate position during the extendingmovement. Upon rotation of the ring gear 11, a synchroshaft 42 which ISattached to a bearing 40 by means of a universal joint 41 iscorrespondingly rotated. The same arrangement provided upon the oppositeside of the bearing serves to cause corresponding movement of the otherengine. Both jackscrews 10 are connected to the lost motion compensatingdevice by means of levers 15. The two planetary drives 20 with theirsynchroshafts 42 and universal joints 41 assure synchronous operation ofthe entire extending mechanism.

It should be noted that the mounting and support of both the actuatingas well as the synchronizing means be located so that the planes whichare normal to the longitudinal axes of the jackscrews l0 and whichcontain the axis of each of the respective universal joints4l-interse-cts the jackscrews axes on opposite sides of thelost-motion-compensating means 14. This arrangement prevents thecreation of tensile or bending forces which may occur in thesynchroshaft 42. The illustrated arrangement assures that a uniformextension of the engines from both sides of the fuselage will beobtained and additionally prevents instability along the pitch and rollaxes during the extending operation.

Additionally, it will be noted that the synchroshafts 42 provide asafety feature. As illustrated, each engine 60 is connected to aseparate power system which may be hydraulic or electric as desired. Inthe event one of the engines fails, the remaining engine will thenprovide the torque for both sides of the system by means of the coupledsynchroshafts 42. In summary, the illustrated embodiment provides aconsiderable savings in weight and space and reduces maintenancerequirements. An important consideration is that it is possible to stopthe engines at any point without the necessity of having to lock themechanism during the extending operation.

Although only one specific embodiment of this invention has been shownand described herein, it will be understood that certain details of theconstruction shown may be altered without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention.

I claim:

1. An apparatus particularly adapted for extending the lift engines of aVTOL/STOL aircraft comprising a synchroshaft, a universal joint coupledto one end of said synchroshaft, a planetary drive mechanism connected.to the remaining end of said synchroshaft, a jackscrew coupled to saidplanetary drive, the longitudinal axis of said jackscrew being generallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of said planetary drive, and a levermounted upon the end of said jackscrew adjacent said synchroshaft.

2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the axis of saiduniversal joint lies in a plane which normally intersects the axis ofsaid jackscrew between the body of the jackscrew and the lever connectedthereto.

3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 which further includes alost-motion-compensating means, said lost-motioncompensating means beingcoupled to said lever.

1. An apparatus particularly adapted for extending the lift engines of aVTOL/STOL aircraft comprising a synchroshaft, a universal joint coupledto one end of said synchroshaft, a planetary drive mechanism connectedto the remaining end of said synchroshaft, a jackscrew coupled to saidplanetary drive, the longitudinal axis of said jackscrew being generallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of said planetary drive, and a levermounted upon the end of said jackscrew adjacent said synchroshaft.
 2. Anapparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the axis of said universaljoint lies in a plane which normally intersects the axis of saidjackscrew between the body of the jackscrew and the lever connectedthereto.
 3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 which furtherincludes a lost-motion-compensating means, said lost-motion-compensatingmeans being coupled to said lever.